Lesson 1: Foundations

Overview: Students will learn about the medium of podcasting as a whole, hear about some of the different types/formats of podcasts that exist, and become familiar with the various elements that go into making a podcast.

Students will be able to:

• Compare and contrast host-on-mic, narrative and Q&A podcasts

• Define podcasting and understand that there are a plethora of podcast topics

• Distinguish between podcasting, blogging, and vlogging (e.g., YouTubers)

Targeted PTD Behaviors:

• Communication

• Creativity

• Collaboration

Activities:

• Podcasts 101 (15 minutes)

• Types of Podcasts (15 minutes)

• Production Elements (10 minutes)

• Small Group Activity (10 minutes)

• Class Discussion (10 minutes)

Key Terms:

• Podcast — an episodic series of digital audio (or video) files which an individual can download in order to listen to

• Audio Engineer — an individual who helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, and reinforcement of sound

What you need:

• A computer with speakers and an internet connection

What students need:

• A pencil and paper

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Part 1: Gauging Student Knowledge

Start by spending the first fifteen minutes of class discussing podcasts. Evaluate what students know or don’t know about podcasts by asking a few questions:

• What is a podcast?

• What are podcasts about?

• Where can you hear podcasts?

• Why would YOU listen to a podcast?

• What podcasts have you listened to? What elements from it do you remember?

 

Part 2: Types of Podcasts

Expose students about the different formats that a podcast can take:

• Host-On-Mic Format

  • One host/one voice

  • Focus of the episode is on one theme or central question

  • Guests or other speakers are rarely included

  • Many generate listener questions and use these as topics of discussion

  • Tend to be shorter (10 to 15 minutes per episode)

  • Examples:

    • Akimbo

    • Nutrition Diva

• Q&A Format

  • Involves a host interviewing a subject/guest

  • Focal point is the rapport between the host and the guest, and the interactions between them

  • The goal of the host is to help the interview subject feel comfortable enough to speak naturally and tell the story that they’ve always wanted to share with the world

  • Tend to be very long and edited down (45 to 90 minutes)

  • Examples:

    • How I Built This

• Narrative Format

  • The theme, subject-matter and content is 100% focused on telling a story

  • The story can be fictional or nonfiction

  • Use of dramatic sound effects and music is very important

  • Episodes tend to follow a chronological structure, allowing new plot twists or details within a story to unfold over time

  • Examples:

    • Serial

    • Bear Brook

 

Part 3: Production Elements

Introduce students to the design process of creating a podcast. Below is not an exhaustive list but, rather, a selection of the key elements that go into most podcasts. Some topics, such as sponsorships, are intentionally omitted.

1. Idea Generation/Brainstorming

2. Scripting — either story or wishlist for guests

3. Audio Recording

4. Audio Editing

5. Sound Effects/Music Selection

6. Publishing

7. Marketing

 

Part 4: Small Group Activity

In small, randomized groups, ask students to brainstorm a list of topics for podcasts that they would like to listen to. Don’t worry about any guidelines or restrictions — make this open-ended and really focus on students engaging their creative juices to come up with their own list of ideas.

 

Part 5: Class Discussion

Coming back together as a class, encourage student groups to share their podcast topic and format ideas.

Before wrapping up, have students consider:

1. The wide variety of ideas for podcast topics that they’ve brainstormed and that already exist — the opportunities are endless

   • Students should walk away feeling excited and encouraged about exploring new podcasts that explore topics they are personally interested in

2. How can a seemingly daunting task of producing a podcast be simplified?

   • Students should understand that, when broken down into its component parts, producing a podcast is not so different from writing an essay or even filming a short video to post on social media. They should feel like creating their own podcast is well within the realm of possibility.

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